Watch this short video – it’s Gary Vaynerchuk talking about how a restaurant might use Snapchat.

And it’s actually a good primer in how to use ANY new social media platform in a business setting (hint, hint – in libraries, too).

Some of Gary’s highlights in the video include:

Have to have good content and a way to distribute that content.

New social media tools, like Snapchat, can be easier to break into – because there’s not as many people there. Facebook is harder, because there’s a lot more noise to break through.

Getting noticed – create content that’s good and interesting and funny. Gary suggests using charismatic or funny staff – he said “make a chef popular and viral on Snapchat.”

Tell people you’re there – put your Snapchat info on the menu, on the front door, in everyone’s email signature, etc.

Translating all that to a library setting is pretty easy:

Start with good, consistent content.

Use the social media channels your customers/patrons/students use. That probably means Facebook. That might also mean Snapchat, or Twitter, or Instagram. Or the newest thing that appears out of nowhere next month. So you have to keep listening and learning about those new tools!

Get your better writers and photographers making content. If you have funny or charismatic staff, put them in front of the camera. And for libraries, simply be helpful. Tips and tricks are always useful to customers.

Tell people you’re there. Love the email signature idea. Use your public entrances, your e-newsletter, bookmarks, the website, etc to share your social media channels with customers. At the beginning of every class or event, remind people to friend your library on Facebook/Twitter/etc.

In my last post, I explained how to use Snapchat (pretty easy, huh?). Now let’s talk about what a library can post on Snapchat.

What types of content should you post on Snapchat? Here are some starter ideas (please add to my list!):

Focus on your “power users.” Think about what your frequent customers might be interested in, and share content that caters to them. Think “insider” info here, like special events that are coming soon.

Offer “rewards and coupons.” This is what the articles on brands in Snapchat say, anyway. For a library, this might be a fine free day, a cup of coffee in your cafe, or a coupon in your Friends of the Library store. Be creative here!

Show off new materials, or new services. We get new stuff all the time. Share it!

What else?

Ok. The above list should sound pretty familiar to anyone who posts to a library social media channel. Why? Because it’s pretty much the same type of content you might share on a library’s Facebook or Twitter account. The main difference is that Snapchat is a lot more visual.

You’re in luck – Snapchat is really easy to use. The biggest thing to realize with Snapchat is this – Snapchat is a way to visually “chat” (hence “Snap” chat).

Snaps (that’s what posts in Snapchat are called) consist of photos and short videos. Users take a photo or video, and then can add words, drawings, and other fun overlays (i.e., weird eyes, barfing rainbows, etc).

Once you get over the “all visual” hurdle, you’ll find that Snapchat is pretty much like any other social media tool.

Snapchat has 4 main screens:

Home screen. That’s where your camera lives.

Snapchat feed (swipe left or hit the lower left square icon to get here). Here’s where Snaps (messages to you) live. These disappear within 10 seconds.

Stories (swipe right or hit the lower right square icon to get here). Stories are compilations of your Snaps, and they can be viewed by all your friends for 24 hours.

Profile screen (swipe up or hit the ghost icon to get here). This is where your Snapcode lives (that ghost-shaped QR code). You can see mine in this post – scan it to follow me!

For a library, the basics of using Snapchat are pretty simple:

Share your Snapcode with customers so people friend you (also friend people back)

Ah – Snapchat. Yet another newish social media channel (launched in 2011). One that started out very niche, and did something slightly different with posts – they disappeared after a set amount of time.

Teens loved it; parents, not so much.

A lot has changed in five years. Snapchat is quickly becoming a go-to place for brands. Which means it can also work for us libraries!

Here are some recent facts about Snapchat:

Snapchat is more popular than Twitter at the moment

Snapchat has recently been the most popular app in Appleâ€™s App Store (#2 right now)

Snapchat have over 100 million users

Millennials make up 71% of active users (18-34 demographic)

Roughly 70% of users are women

1 billion Snapchat Stories are viewed every day

And here’s the biggest fact (well, ok – not really a fact, but …) – if you’re over 40, Snapchat seems to weird us out. Adults tend to find Snapchat confusing. Why? I think it’s because the app doesn’t have the normal labeling we have come to expect.

When you open up the app, you don’t get a box to type in – you get the camera. There aren’t menus – you either swipe left, right, or up (or you can click on the unlabeled icons).

So yeah – it’s not made for us. It’s made for people who instinctively know to just play around with it until they figure it out.

Wait a sec … why can’t that be us, too?

I think it can. Stay tuned for my next post on some “how to use it” basics!